One Starry Night   By: Sasha Davis         “Shake a leg Gabby, we are going to be late!” Papa yelled at me.   “I’m tryin I’m tryin!” I yelled back. We ran, ducking under people,   trying to get to the bank. Mama and Papa forgot to pay the bills   because we are moving out of our house. Papa is desperate to get   money out of the bank so he can use it to pay bills. Mama has a   night shift, so I have to come along. Papa can be mean when he   gets stressed out. That's why I tried not to say a word while we   were walking. Mama and Papa are also going on a date in 2 hours.   We don’t have enough money to hire a babysitter, which means that   I must come along. They say that when I am 15 I will be allowed   to stay home all by myself. But that feels like forever! “We are   almost there, Gabby!” Papa exclaimed. I did not say a word. I knew   Papa would’ve cut me off. Papa burst into the town’s bank, Country   Side’s Coins. Everybody stopped and stared. I tried to act like I   didn’t know him, but everybody in town knows who we are.   “Welcome Mr. Collins.” Mr. Merryson said with a smile. I gasped.   “Mr. Merryson!” I yelled. I ran around the desk to give him a BIG   hug! “Long time no see, Troy.” Papa said, shaking his hand. “Will   you be able to watch me tonight while Mama and Papa go out on   their date?” I asked Mr. Merryson with puppy dog eyes. “I am   afraid not my little Gabby.. Mrs. Merryson is very ill. I must make   sure she will be okay.” Mr. Merryson said with depression. “Oh.   Alright. I hope Mrs. Merryson feels better!” I said, sounding gloomy.   I stood over by the front entrance, waiting for Papa. Mr. Merryson   and Papa talked most of the time until Papa realized it was 8:30   at night. Mr. Merryson gave Papa the money, and we rushed to   Mama’s job. Mama works at an Appliance Store. Folks around here   mostly call it Amazing Appliances. “Papa? We should take a   carriage there. It’ll be faster.” I suggested. “No, Gabby. You don’t   understand-” “But I do! I do understand, Papa!” “No! You do not!”   Papa said. I could feel a tear slowly slide down my cheek. We kept   on walking in silence. We had arrived at Mama’s job. “Oh, Gabby!”   Mama yelled. Mama ran to me and picked me up. “Mama!” I said   as we hugged. On our way to their date spot, Papa let me ride on   his back. “Look, Mama, Papa!” I said as I pointed up to the sky.   One little dot had appeared. Several appeared after. Papa looked at   the sky too. “You know what? We don’t need a fancy   restaurant…..” Papa said. “Huh?” Mama and I both said. Papa put   me down and crumbled up the reservation paper and threw it in the   garbage can. “Why would you do that?” I asked. Papa just smiled   as he held my hand, as well as Mama. As we walked all the way   home, Mama and Papa were talking about things I did not   understand. Once we got home, Mama and Papa got warm blankets   from inside. “ I wonder.. ” I thought to myself. Mama and Papa came   out with 3 blankets. Papa lay down the 3 blankets on the soft,   newly cut, green grass. He laid on his blanket, put his hands behind   his head, and sighed. “What are you looking at, Papa?” I asked.   “The stars!” Papa said, still looking at the stars. “Oh!” I said.   “May I do that as well, Papa?” I asked, looking at Papa. “Of   course, Gabby!!” Papa said. I got in the same position as Papa. I   smiled as I gazed up into the sky that was lit up by these little   dots that go by the name, Stars. “Mama?” I said. “Yes, Gabriela?”   Mama replied. “Can I name the stars?” I asked. “Well… if you   would like…” Mama said, confused. I squealed silently. “That one is   Sarah, this one Sam, Sadie, Samuel, Rachel, Brady, Briley, Ryan,   and Katy!” I only named a few. A couple minutes passed. “Mama,   are you awake?” I whispered to Mama. she didn’t answer. “She   must be asleep.” I whispered to myself. “Isn’t the sky beautiful?”   Papa asked me. “They sure are! It looks like that painting we saw   last week at the museum!” I said. Papa chuckled. We stared at the   sky for a while until Papa yawned, and started to close his eyes.   Snoring came from him. I laughed a little. Papa’s snoring is very   funny. I looked up at the sky one more time with a small grin.   “This is one starry night.”